DECEMBER 2019 RELEASE: Albatros DV 2059/17, Manfred von Richthofen, JG1, Marckebeke, Late August 1917, 1:48th. Scale. As the most famous fighter pilot in the history of military aviation, the name Manfred von Richthofen is familiar to many people and despite the Great War claiming his life more than 100 years ago, the exploits of the Bloody Red Baron continue to be a source of fascination to this day. Originally joining the Luftstreitkräfte as an aerial observer, his fighting ambitions would lead von Richthofen to be selected for fighter training, where he would later become a legend of the air, being credited with more aerial victories than any other pilot of the Great War. He is inextricably linked with the red Fokker Triplane fighter in which he scored his final victories and indeed met his death, however, it would be the famous Albatros series of fighters which would bring him the majority of his victories. During April 1917, in a period referred to by Allied airmen as ‘Bloody April’, von Richthofen and his fellow Luftstreitkräfte pilots would take a heavy toll of British aircraft, with his personal tally standing at an impressive 21 victories. Von Richthofen sustained a significant head wound which almost cost his life whilst engaged in combat with the RFC on 6th July 1917 and although it is reported he was never quite the same person following recuperation and his return to duty, he would go on to score a further 23 victories. One of the aircraft used after his return to combat and before converting to the Fokker Triplane was Albatros DV 2059/17, which he used to claim his 58th and 59th victories. As his unit were converting to the new Triplane and this Albatros was damaged at around this same time, it is thought that this particular machine was repaired and sent for museum display in Germany, the prized aircraft of the world’s greatest fighter pilot.

MAY 2019 RELEASE: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 44-6009 ‘Flak Eater’, 364th BS/305th BG USAAF 8th Air Force, August 1944, 1:72nd. Scale Die-Cast. From the perspective of a Luftwaffe fighter pilot, the sight of hundreds of American Flying Fortresses in formation and heading towards them must have been magnificent and terrifying in equal measure. As the Allies pressed home their increasing aerial supremacy throughout 1944, not only would the Luftwaffe have to contend with a wall of defensive fire from the tightly packed bomber formations, they also knew that their protective fighter cover would be on them both before and after they made their almost suicidal attack run. The latest and definitive ‘G’ variant of the B-17 introduced the electrically operated Bendix chin turret, which had been developed to combat the frontal attacks preferred by Luftwaffe fighter pilots against earlier models and further increased the defensive firepower of these heavily armed bombers. Chelveston based B-17G ‘Flak Eater’ of the USAAF 364th Bombardment Squadron certainly wanted any attacking fighter to know that she was equipped with the new nose armament and sported distinctive ‘shark mouth’ artwork to act as a visual deterrent to any enemy pilot looking for a potential target. Despite the frantic nature of the European air war around the time of D-Day, the decision to apply the turret teeth was vindicated, as they helped ‘Flak Eater’ through at least 28 combat missions and to survive the war relatively unscathed. The bomber returned to the US in June 1945, where she was later scrapped at Kingman Army Airfield in Arizona, a fate which awaited the majority of aircraft which had fought so valiantly during WWII.

OCTOBER 2018 RELEASE: B-24® Liberator® ( Male Call ) 453rd BG, US Eighth Air Force, 1944 - Jimmy Stewart, 1:72nd. Scale, Limited To 1500 Worldwide. Often unfairly overshadowed by both the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and later B-29 Superfortress, the distinctive Consolidated B-24 Liberator was the third of America’s heavy bombers used during WWII and has the distinction of being the most heavily produced four-engined bomber in aviation history. Serving in every theatre of operation during the Second World War, the Liberator formed the backbone of the Allied daylight bombing offensive against Germany and with its shoulder mounted, highly efficient wing, deep fuselage and H-shaped tail unit, the Liberator’s impressive range also helped to close the ‘Atlantic gap’ in the vital sea battle against German U-boats, which threatened Britain’s critical supply lines. Like so many other of the 18,500 B-24s produced during WWII, Liberator 42-52154 ‘Male Call’ was an extremely hard working machine, surviving the war having completed an impressive 95 bombing missions – she is thought to have been the only survivor of the original 61 aircraft assigned to the 453rd Bombardment Group, which arrived at RAF Old Buckenham airfield on 21st January 1944. The aircraft was one of the Liberators flown by celebrated Hollywood actor James ‘Jimmy’ Stewart during his time as Group Operations Officer with the 453rd Bombardment Group at the Norfolk airfield.

NA B-25 Mitchell - Tokyo Raid Doolittle Raiders Ruptured Duck One of the sixteen North American B-25 Mitchell medium bombers that took part in the famous Doolittle Raid of 1942, 'The Ruptured Duck,' along with Doolittle's own aircraft is one of the best known of the aircraft that took part. Conceived as a way to boost the morale of a nation still reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Doolittle Raid consisted of the USAAF flying a number of B-25 Medium bombers off an aircraft carrier close to Japan, bombing Tokyo and then flying on to land in China. While material damage would be slight, the effect on morale back in America, and detrimentally in Japan, would be huge.'The Ruptured Duck' got its name from scraping its rear fuselage on the runway during training. After bombing Tokyo the aircraft flew on to China where it crashed into the sea near Shangchow. All of the crew survived, though the pilot Lt. Ted Lawson lost a leg in the ditching.

APRIL 2017 RELEASE: North American B-25B Mitchell, 40-2249, ""Hari Kari-er"", Doolittle Raid, 1942 1:72, Limited Edition Of 1556 Units WorldWide. As the USS Hornet task force approached the Japanese coast, they were spotted by an enemy ship and decided to launch their aircraft early. Just after 8am on 18th April 1942, sixteen B-25 bombers lifted off the relatively short deck of USS Hornet and set course for Japan – this would be the first time that any of these airmen had taken off from the deck of an aircraft carrier at sea. Flying at extremely low level, the raiders had a six-hour flight ahead of them before reaching their targets, almost certain that they would be intercepted by enemy fighters. If they managed to complete their mission, they would then fly on to China, but it would be very much a case of every man for himself.

JULY 2019 RELEASE: Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6/U2 ‘White 16’, 1./JG301, July 1944, 1/72nd. Scale. The opportunity to capture and evaluate the latest versions of your enemy’s aircraft was of great interest to both Allied and Axis military planners throughout WWII, not only in order to asses the technology itself, but also to develop tactics which would be useful to squadron pilots when meeting the aircraft in combat. Most of these aircraft would come into the possession of their new owners following combat and usually after suffering varying degrees of damage, however, there were rare occasions when Luftwaffe aircraft were unwittingly delivered in tact to a grateful Royal Air Force. Such an occurrence took place on 21st July 1944, when a pair of bomber hunting Messerschmitt Bf109G-6/U2 fighter pilots became disorientated and landed at Manston airfield in Kent. One of the pilots appeared to be distracted whilst approaching the unfamiliar airfield and fearing he was running out of runway, retracted his undercarriage and made a belly landing. The other machine, ‘White 16’ flown by Horst Prenzel made a perfect landing and therefore presented the RAF with a pristine example of this latest variant of the Luftwaffe fighter. Later evaluated by famous test pilot Captain Eric Brown, it was destroyed only a few months later in a take off accident whilst serving with the Air Fighting Development Unit at RAF Wittering.

OCTOBER 2019 RELEASE: Messerschmitt Bf 110E-2 G9+LN, Oblt. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, 1:72nd. The Battle of Britain had proved to be a chastening experience for the Messerschmitt Bf110 heavy fighter units of the Luftwaffe, but despite their disappointing performance against the fighters of the RAF, Messerschmitt’s fighting twin would go on to perform effectively in other theatres. Seeing extensive service on the Eastern Front, North Africa and the Mediterranean, the extra range and firepower possessed by the Bf 110 helped it to live up to its pre-war reputation, especially when not facing effective fighter opposition. It would however, be night operations against RAF Bomber Command which proved to be the aircraft’s most suited operating environment, especially when equipped with the latest air interception radar equipment available to the Luftwaffe. With many of the world’s most successful nightfighter aces perfecting their skills whilst flying the Bf 110, this would become an important aircraft in the nocturnal struggle against the hundreds of RAF bombers crossing the coast of Northern Europe each night. This sinister looking all-black Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 Messerschmitt Bf110E is equipped with the early FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C air interception radar, which was introduced during 1942 and featured the complex ‘Matratze’ aerial antenna array on the nose of the aircraft. The radar operator in the rear cockpit would use a pair of oscilloscopes to help him direct his pilot to a possible interception.

OCTOBER 2019 RELEASE: Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV R3843/WV-F, ‘ Operation Leg ’ August 1941, 1:72nd. Scale. At a time when Britain and her Commonwealth were enduring their ‘Darkest Hour’, the nation were in need of inspirational heroes and perhaps nobody answered this call more famously than Douglas Bader. Losing both his legs as a result of a pre-war flying accident, Bader’s determination to re-join the RAF saw him playing a significant role in leading Fighter Command’s defiant resistance against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain and later taking part in fighter sweeps over Northern France, as the RAF went on the offensive. It was during one of these operations on 9th August 1941 that Bader’s Spitfire collided with another aircraft, severing the tail and sending him spinning towards the ground. Although managing to exit the aircraft and parachute to safety, one of his prosthetic legs had remained stuck in the cockpit and crashed to earth with the stricken Spitfire. Clearly a huge propaganda coup for the Germans, they contacted the RAF with news of Bader’s capture and to offer safe passage to an aircraft bringing a replacement leg for their illustrious guest. Not wanting to allow the Germans an even greater propaganda victory, the RAF planned to parachute drop a new leg, not by accepting the safe passage option, but as part of a full ‘Circus’ bombing raid. On 19th August 1941, six Blenheim Mk.IVs supported by a large force of Spitfires launched an attack against the power station at Gosnay, with Blenheim R3843 also carrying a rather unusual payload, Douglas Bader’s new leg. The wooden box containing the prosthetic limb was unceremoniously bundled out of the Blenheim over the target area, before all six bombers turned for home, their bombs unreleased, due to heavy cloud cover over the target area and the fear of inaccurate bombing causing civilian casualties. The protecting Spitfires did not fare so well, with eight aircraft lost during the operation.

MAY 2019 RELEASE: Douglas C-47A Skytrain 42-92847 ‘That’s All Brother’, 5th/6th June 1944, Lead D-Day aircraft, 1:72 Scale. In order to ensure the defeat of Germany and the end of the Second World War, the Allied powers knew that they would have to launch a full scale assault against continental Europe, an undertaking fraught with potential dangers. In support of this plan, Allied aircraft began a concerted bombing campaign, targeting aircraft and munitions manufacturing plants, as well as attacking strategic targets in the intended landing areas, all designed to diminish Germany’s fighting capabilities. These attacks were always carefully masked by strong diversion raids, so as not to alert the Germans to where the anticipated Allied amphibious assault would take place, making D-Day as much about deception, as it was about preparation. Finally, after months of planning, the order was given to ‘Go’ and the invasion was on. At RAF Greenham Common in the late evening of 5th June 1944, paratroopers of the US 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions climbed aboard hundreds of Douglas C-47 Skytrains, as they prepared to drop behind German lines in advance of the main seaborne invasion force, the spearhead of Operation Overlord. At the head of this mighty air armada and the aircraft which effectively launched D-Day, Douglas C-47A ‘That’s All Brother’ would lead a force of over 800 Skytrains over the next few hours, as she navigated through thick cloud and German defensive fire to deliver her precious cargo of brave paratroopers onto their designated drop zones in Normandy and the opening combat operations of D-Day.

NOVEMBER 2018 RELEASE: Dornier Do17Z-10 Kauz R4+AK, I/NJG.2, Erich Jung, Gilze-Rijen airfield, Holland, October 1940, 1:72nd Scale. As the most heavily produced version of the Luftwaffe’s distinctive ‘Flying Pencil’, the Dornier Do17Z would see plenty of action during WWII, including several roles for which the aircraft was not initially intended. Almost obsolete by the time of the Battle of Britain, this ungainly looking bomber was also rather surprisingly pressed into service as a heavy night fighter, as the Luftwaffe tried to establish an effective force to repel the growing number of RAF raids targeting German cities. Contesting a deadly game of nocturnal cat and mouse, the aircraft of l/NJG.2 represented a specialist unit mounting long range night intruder missions over Britain, aiming to disrupt Bomber Command operations a little closer to their home bases, attacking bombers returning from their latest raid as they prepared to land. This sinister looking Do17Z-10 Kauz (Screech Owl) had been modified specifically for the task and was equipped with a nose mounted infra-red searchlight and detection system, along with a devastating array of weaponry designed to make short work of any British bomber it detected. Operating from the captured Dutch airfield at Gilze-Rijen, R4+AK was the mount of future night fighter ace Erich Jung, who ended the war with 28 nocturnal victories.

OCTOBER 2018 RELEASE: English Electric Lightning F.6 XS927/N, RAF No.74 Squadron ‘The Tigers’ k, 1:48th. Scale. When the English Electric Lightning entered RAF service with No.74 Squadron at Coltishall in June 1960, Britain had its first true supersonic interceptor and one of the most potent fighting aeroplanes the world had ever seen. Charged with protecting Britain from aerial attack, everything about a Lightning mission involved speed, with pilots using the blistering climb performance of the aircraft to mount a ‘Supersonic dash’ to the target, returning to base, refuelling and rearming before repeating the process if the situation dictated. The ultimate incarnation of the country’s first and only all British supersonic fighter aircraft was the F.6 variant, which addressed many of the issues associated with earlier Lightnings, whilst retaining the stellar performance of this magnificent aircraft. Lightning F.6 XS927 made its maiden flight from the English Electric factory on 15th February 1967, in the hands of celebrated test pilot Roland Beamont, before joining No.74 Squadron at Coltishall in early April the same year – this was the last F.6 to join the Squadron before they moved to RAF Tengah in Singapore. Wearing the iconic colours of this famous squadron, it is no wonder the Lightning served to inspire a great many people to join the Royal Air Force and for many, is still an enduring symbol of when the British aviation industry was at the peak of its manufacturing prowess. As one of the most famous squadrons of the Royal Air Force, No.74 ‘Tiger’ Squadron can trace its history back to 1st July 1917 and has been associated with such classic fighting aircraft as the SE5a, Hawker Hurricane and Gloster Meteor since that date. For many enthusiasts though, its most poignant association has been with the mighty English Electric Lightning, an aviation icon of the Cold War Period and one of the most significant achievements of the British aviation industry. As the Squadron selected to welcome the Lightning into frontline service in the summer of 1960, the ‘Tigers’ went on to operate the F.3 variant, T.4 and T.5 trainers, along with the ultimate F.6 fighter version of the Lightning. Indeed, No.74 Squadron was again to be the first unit equipped with the definitive F.6 version of the aircraft, which was capable of being fitted with over-wing tanks to extend the operating range of this potent fighter and resulted in the Squadron being assigned to the RAF Far East Air Force, based at Tengah in Singapore. In June 1967, the Lightnings of No.74 Squadron began leaving Leuchars for their ferry flight to the Far East, with their arrival at RAF Tengah several days later relying on the support of no fewer than seventeen Victor tankers, which provided the aircraft with an essential air to air refuelling platform during their flight. After enforcing the effective air defence of the region for just over four years, the Lightnings of No.74 Squadron were flown to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, where they were handed over to the care of No.56 Squadron, prior to 74 Squadron being disbanded and bringing their proud association with Britain’s only indigenous supersonic fighter to an end.

JULY 2019 RELEASE: McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1 XT864/007R, No.892 NAS, HMS Ark Royal, November 1978, 1:48th. Scale. Although the history of British aviation can boast many famous aeroplanes amongst its ranks, there can be few that were as visually striking as the mighty Phantom FG.1s of the Royal Navy, which operated from the diminutive deck of HMS Ark Royal. In the seconds prior to launch and whilst connected to the ship’s steam catapult, the aircraft’s nose wheel oleo would be extended to its maximum 40 inch position, giving the Phantom a distinct nose up attitude to increase the efficiency of engine thrust. With steam rising eerily from the ships deck, Navy Phantoms looked like a giant metal praying mantis, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. With maximum afterburner selected and the engine power almost melting the ship’s deck, the Phantom was finally released from its shackles and roared into the air – such a spectacular experience for anyone lucky enough to see it. Although most of us will have only ever seen the operation of Ark Royal’s Phantoms on video or in reference books, these iconic images left such an indelible impression that Britain’s Rolls Royce Spey powered Phantoms have since become something of an enigma and still command huge enthusiast interest to this day.

JUNE 2018 RELEASE: Fokker DR.1 Dreidecker 425/17, Rittmeister Manfred von Richthofen, Jasta 11, JG.1, Cappy Aerodrome, France, 21st April, 1918. Manfred von Richthofen is regarded as one of the most skilled pilots of WWI and developed his formidable reputation in the iconic red Fokker Dr.1. Just added to the 2018 Corgi Range - this Special Edition model commemorates 100 years since the death of this ace fighter pilot., 1:48th. Scale.

NOVEMBER 2018 RELEASE: Fokker D.VII (OAW) 4649/18 ‘Seven Swabians’ Wilhelm Scheutzel, Jasta 65, September 1918, 1:48th. Scale. Although the air war had turned inexorably in favour of the Allies by the late summer of 1918, the Luftstreitkrafte were still able to introduce an aircraft which is generally considered to be the finest fighter of the Great War, the Fokker D.VII. German pilots had a saying that this new fighter could make a mediocre pilot good and a good pilot into an ace, but unfortunately this was to prove a case of too little, too late. Fokker D.VII 4649/18 has to be considered one of the most flamboyantly decorated fighters of the Great War – adorning both sides of the aircraft’s fuselage, an elaborate scene featuring the ‘Seven Swabians’ from a famous Brothers Grimm German Fairy Tale must have made for an unusual sight. Brandishing an oversized spear which required all seven of the Swabians to carry, the story tells the farcical tale of this hapless group and their futile attempts to achieve greatness through performing great deeds. Showing an incredible level of artistic talent, the artwork was slightly different on both sides of the aircraft, however, despite all this decorative effort, this particular fighter was to achieve no more than two aerial victories during its short service career.

DECEMBER 2019 RELEASE: Fokker E.II, flown by Kurt von Crailsheim, FFA 53, Monthois, France, October 1915, 1:48th. Scale. Few aeroplanes have had such a dramatic impact on the history of aerial warfare as the Fokker Eindecker series of monoplanes, aircraft which are regarded as the first true fighter aircraft in the history of aviation. It was not that these single-wing aircraft were such advanced aeronautical designs, as many of the world’s successful early aircraft were monoplanes (such as the Bleriot XI which crossed the English Channel in 1909), however, they did make use of a particularly sinister innovation. The introduction of interrupter gear synchronised the aircraft’s machine-gun to fire through the arc of the propeller, only allowing it to operate once the blade was clear and crucially, in the pilot’s direct line of sight. For the first time, an aeroplane had been specifically introduced to hunt and destroy other aircraft – the day of the fighter aeroplane had arrived. Despite having a dramatic impact on the Western Front, the Eindecker was still a relatively primitive aircraft and required an immense amount of skill in order to be flown well. This was illustrated by eager young Luftstreitkräfte pilot Baron Kurt von Crailsheim, who on being posted to FFA 53 in the summer of 1915, had his and the unit’s first aerial victory by 22nd September. Just a few days later, he crashed the twitchy Eindecker whilst attempting a landing at Monthois airfield, which resulted in his fighter being written off. He later received a new replacement aircraft, which he once again painted in his personal colours, but was to be the machine which claimed his life. Suffering a similar landing accident on 30th December 1915, his injuries would prove so severe that he died in hospital five days later.

Special Hawker Hurricane Mk.I, V6799 / SD-X Pilot Officer K.W Mackenzie, RAF No.501 Squadron, 100 Years of the RAF. It is difficult to imagine how the young men of Fighter Command managed to cope with the rigors of aerial combat during the Battle of Britain. Facing overwhelming odds and with the fate of the nation squarely in their hands, they were forced to fight for their lives on almost a daily basis and for Britain to survive, they would have to shoot down enemy aircraft at a rate of almost 4 to 1. Their bravery and determination is now the stuff of legend and the many stories of heroism and almost unbelievable devotion to duty they displayed, continue to inspire many people to this day. One such incident occurred on 7th October 1940, when Pilot Officer Ken Mackenzie was chasing a damaged Messerschmitt Bf 109 over the south coast. Having used up all his ammunition, he was determined not to let the Luftwaffe fighter limp back to France, only to threaten his RAF comrades another day. Manoeuvring his Hurricane close to the low flying 109, he used his wing tip to sever the port stabilizer of the Messerschmitt, sending it spinning into the sea and taking the outer section of his own wing with it. He was then set upon by two more 109s and sustaining damage to his Hurricane, just managed to avoid cliffs near Folkestone and belly land his fighter in the first field he saw. The 24 year old Mackenzie quickly returned to action and claimed at least seven enemy aircraft destroyed during the Battle of Britain, 1:72 Scale.

AUGUST 2019 RELEASE: Junkers Ju52/3m D-2600 ‘Immelmann II’, Adolf Hitler’s personal transport aircraft, Berlin Tempelhof Airport, circa 1936. 1/72 Die Cast. Undoubtedly one of the most distinctive aircraft of the Second World War, the tri-motor Junkers Ju52 can trace its origins back to a first flight in October 1930 and even though it was obsolete at the start of the conflict, it would go on to see extensive use and be produced throughout the war. From the early days of his political career, Adolf Hitler was one of the first major world figures to use aircraft as his preferred mode of transport and on becoming Chancellor of Germany, he began to establish his own private air fleet, which was based at Berlin Tempelhof Airport. Preferring to use the roomy and reliable Junkers Ju52, his aircraft were named after famous German airmen of the Great War, such as Immelmann, Richthofen and Boelcke, with his personal pilot Hans Baur overseeing the internal fittings of the aircraft to ensure Hitler’s comfort. Ju52 3/m D-2600 ‘Immelmann II’ was one of the famous aircraft operated as a Fuhrermaschine, usually serving as the lead aircraft (and Hitler’s preferred aircraft) but backed up by several other Ju52s to ensure constant availability. The aircraft were also available for use by other high ranking officials and in order to ensure Hitler’s safety, a number of aircraft were often operated at the same time, to minimise the risk of attack. At the insistence of Hans Baur, Hitler upgraded his main transport aircraft to the new four engined Focke Wulf Fw 200 Condor in 1939, however, he retained links to his trusty Junkers by naming the new aircraft ‘Immelmann III’ and transferring the registration D-2600 – it appears Hitler was rather superstitious.

OCTOBER 2019 RELEASE: Junkers Ju88A-5 9K+ED, Stab III./KG51, Winter 1940. As a result of the RAFs first bombing raid against Berlin on 25th August 1940 and incorrectly assuming that Fighter Command were all but knocked out of the war, the Luftwaffe were directed to leave Britain’s fighter stations alone and concentrate their efforts against London. In a period which became known as the Blitz, from October 1940, British cities were targeted by German bombers on a nightly basis and whilst these raids had a devastating effect on the civilian population, it allowed Britain to galvanise its defences and re-equip its battered fighter squadrons. Arguably the most effective bomber available to the Luftwaffe during WWII was the Junkers Ju88, a pre-war ‘Schnellbomber’ which proved to be both capable and adaptable, seeing service throughout WWII and produced in significant quantities. For the switch to night bombing operations over Britain, most of III./KG51s Ju88s benefited from some field applied camouflage modifications, which helped to make the aircraft less visible to British defences. The under-surfaces of the aircraft were given a black paint wash, which effectively masked all national insignia and fuselage markings were similarly blacked out. Only the top wing balkenkreuz was retained, presumably to aid with friendly unit recognition and to avoid incidents of friendly fire losses. It is interesting to note that of the many KG51 Ju88s lost over Britain during the night Blitz offensive, one machine lost during November 1940 was thought to have been the first victim of a radar equipped Bristol Beaufighter nightfighter. Unfortunately, many more aircraft on both sides would be lost before the war was over.

MAY 2019 RELEASE: F-5E-2 Lightning 43-28619 ‘Ruth/Rita’, 27th PRS, 7th PG, Eighth Air Force, August 1944, 1/72 Die Cast Model. One of the most crucial elements of the D-Day air campaign was the gathering of detailed reconnaissance photographs of the entire intended invasion area, which included the assessment of previous bombing raid effectiveness and the identification of future targets. In lessons learned during the disastrous Dieppe raid of 1942, military planners knew they had to have the very latest intelligence information in order to prepare for invasion, disrupting enemy communications and destroying defensive strongholds overlooking the invasion beaches. One of the most effective aircraft in securing this information was the Lockheed F-5E-2 Lightning, the photographic reconnaissance version of the distinctive twin boom P-38J variant. Undergoing modification at squadron level, these aircraft featured enlarged camera windows for more effective information gathering, with this bigger window featuring a teardrop fairing to minimise the impact of addition drag. Lightning 43-28619 was unusual in that it made a feature of this enlarged eye in the sky by the artistic addition of sharks teeth, with the camera windows serving as eyes for the flying beast. Wearing its overall PRU blue colour scheme, nose artwork and D-Day identification markings, this must have been one of the most distinctive aircraft in the skies above the Normandy beaches, even though its mission profile was for the Lightning to remain undetected. On 26th November 1944, this aircraft was intercepted and shot down by a Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter flown by Luftwaffe ace Hermann Buchner, with its unfortunate pilot becoming a prisoner of war.

Special MacRoberts Reply, Short Stirling Mk.I N6086/LS-F, 15 Sqn., Wyton, October 1941. LIMITED TO 2000 WORLDWIDE, But Only About 300 Were Shipped To The US Market. FREE SHIPPING WITHIN THE LOWER 48 STATES, OUR CHOICE OF SHIPPING CARRIER. VERY LIMITED STOCK AVAILABLE!!

Special Short Sunderland MkIII, EJ134, 461 Squadron RAAF, 1943, 1:72nd. Scale. Built at Short Brothers in Kent, Sunderland EJ134 joined No.461 Squadron RAAF on 31st December 1942 at Hamworthy Junction in Dorset. On 2nd June 1943, with its famous call sign “N for Nuts” and piloted by Flight Lt. Colin Walker, it set out over the Bay of Biscay conducting a routine anti-submarine patrol. The crew had been ordered to look out for survivors of a KLM civil airliner when they came under fire by no fewer than eight Junkers JU 88s of the Luftwaffe’s 13/KG40 in what was to be the first of at least twenty separate attacks that would last forty-five minutes. The aircraft was severely damaged from the attacks, but it had a trick up its sleeve in its two 50. caliber machine guns and shot down at least three of the enemy aircraft before the crew navigated the dying plane back to Britain where they ditched just off the beach of Praa Sands. Note: Very Few Remain Available For Ordering So Order Now If You Have Not Already Ordered Your.

Sopwith Camel F1, B6372, Capt. M. B. Frew, 45 Squadron RFC. The Sopwith Camel is one of the most famous fighter planes of the First World War. An agile and powerful biplane it found fame in the hands of many famous Allied aces such as Major William Barker as well as the pilot of this Camel, Capt. M. B. Frew. Based in Italy by early 1918, 45 squadron was tasked mainly with ground attack and offensive patrols against the Axis forces in the theatre. From his total tally of 23 aerial victories, 12 were claimed in this very machine along with a further 5 claimed by fellow squadron mates C. N. Jones and J. Cottle, making this a highly successful example of the Sopwith biplane. Only 1 Available!!!

DECEMBER 2018 RELEASE: Sopwith F.1 Camel B6401 No.3 Squadron RNAS, Northern France, 1918, 1:48th. Scale. Canadian ace Lloyd Samuel Breadner can surely claim to have flown one of the most distinctive Sopwith Camels on the Western Front. Featuring two large circles on the top wing, his aircraft also included King of Diamonds playing cards on the top of the lower wings, the badge of the Canadian Expeditionary Force carried behind the cockpit and a striking red and white ‘rising sun’ on the tail and elevators - there can be no doubting that Flight Lieutenant Breadner wanted his German opponents to see him coming. Joining No.3 Squadron RNAS in 1917, Breadner initially flew the Sopwith Pup scout, in which he managed to score seven aerial victories, one of which was a mighty German Gotha bomber on 23rd April 1917, the first time a British fighter had brought down one of these behemoth’s over the Western Front. When his unit converted to the new Sopwith Camel, he went on to score a further three victories during September 1917, all of which were against Luftstreitkrafte Albatros D.V fighters. Surviving the war, Breadner became Air Officer Commanding-in Chief RCAF Overseas during WWII and on his retirement, was promoted to Air Chief Marshal – the first Canadian to hold this rank.

NOVEMBER 2019 RELEASE: SPAD XIII S7000, Rene Fonck, Escadrille 103, Autumn 1918, 1:48th. Scale. Although history has dictated that the aerial combat prowess of Manfred von Richthofen ensured he became one of the world’s most famous aviation personalities, the same cannot be said of the leading Allied ‘Ace of Aces’ from the Great War, who has remained largely anonymous to all but the most committed of enthusiasts. Rene Fonck originally shunned the opportunity to become a pilot, preferring instead to share the trenches with his countrymen, as they fought against the Germans. The horrors of war soon changed his mind and led him to the cockpit of an aeroplane, where he was to display a real aptitude for flying and would eventually see him posted to a French Air Force reconnaissance squadron. His impressive airmanship and determination to fight brought about a transfer to the elite Escadrille 103 and the beginning of a long association with the SPAD fighter, an aircraft in which he would quickly begin to score victories. The consummate tactician, Fonck would study the actions of his enemy during combat, watching from a safe distance before decisively launching his attack. Using as little ammunition as possible and perfecting the art of deflection shooting, Fonck would boast that he could direct his bullets so precisely into an enemy aircraft that it was as if he had placed them there by hand. By the end of the war, Fonck had been credited with 75 aerial victories, although his actual total is thought to have been much higher, possibly as many as 100 and even eclipsing the great Red Baron. As it was, his official score made him second only to von Richthofen, the Allied ‘ace of aces’ and the highest scoring fighter ace to survive the war.

JULY 2019 RELEASE: Supermarine Spitfire XIV RM740, RAF No.322 (Dutch) Squadron, Deanland, August 1944, 1:72nd. Scale. The aviation pedigree of the Supermarine Spitfire is second to none. Produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft, the Spitfire was in constant production throughout the Second World War, with the basic airframe capable of readily accepting upgrades and improvements which maintained the aircraft’s position as one of the most capable single engined fighting aeroplanes of WWII. The combination of the classic Spitfire airframe and the new powerful Rolls Royce Griffon engine produced a ‘Super Spitfire’ and what was regarded by many aviation historians as the finest low altitude interceptor available to Allied air forces during WWII. Having contributed to offensive operations in support of the D-Day landings, the speedy Spitfire Mk. XIVs of RAF No.322 Squadron were given a dangerous new task in the weeks which followed, intercepting the indiscriminate V1 ‘Doodlebug’ flying bombs which were hurled against Southern Britain from their launch sites in France, in the weeks following the successful Allied landings in Normandy. The squadron proved extremely proficient in these ‘Anti-diver’ sorties, with no fewer than 108.5 Doodlebugs falling to the guns of their mighty Griffon powered Spitfires, before advancing Allied ground units could overrun the launch sites, thus taking these terrifying weapons out of range of their intended target areas. Released from their Doodlebug duties, the Griffon Spitfires of No.322 squadron were sent to operate from recently liberated bases in Europe, as Allied air forces continued to take a heavy toll of German forces, both on the ground and in the air.

Supermarine Spitfire MkI - Duxford. P9374 was the 557th Spitfire built. Delivered to 92 Squadron on the 6th March 1940, the aircraft quickly found itself, along with the squadron, moved down to Croydon just south of London to cover the Allied evacuation of Dunkirk. It was on one such mission on 24th May 1940 that P9374 was lost. P/O Peter Cazenove was flying the aircraft when it was attacked by future ace Werner Hoffman flying a Bf110. Cazenove made a wheels up landing on a Calais beach and was quickly captured. The wreck lay on the beach covered by the sand until exposed due to a storm in September 1980. The aircraft looked more or less complete, with the engine and fuselage visible. The wreck was recovered towards the end of that year. The parts were passed around a number of collectors before ending up with the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford who finished the restoration, enabling it to take to the air for the first time since the 24th May 1940 on the 1st September 2011. Sadly Peter Cazenove, also a veteran of the 'Great Escape', passed away just days before he could be informed of the successful return to flight of his beloved Spitfire.

Spitfire MkI, LO-Q, L1004 Squadron Leader A Johnstone, 602 Squadron, DFC Tangmere, August 1940. Note: Very Few Remain Available For Ordering So Order Now If You Have Not Already Ordered Your. Orders Will Begin Shipping The Week Of November 9th..

JUNE 2016 RELEASE: Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I R6800/LZ-N, Sqn. Ldr. Rupert ‘Lucky’ Leigh, RAF No.66 Squadron, Gravesend, September 1940. For young British pilots in the late 1940s, the most exciting and enigmatic aircraft that they could possibly hope to fly was the new Supermarine Spitfire. The absolute pinnacle of aviation technology at that time, the Spitfire was a thoroughbred in every sense of the word and simply a beautiful aeroplane to look at. Just a few short months after the Spitfire entered RAF service, it would be called upon to fight for the very survival of Britain and the free world, as swarms of Luftwaffe aircraft launched massed attacks against RAF airfields and strategic targets across southern England. The handsome Spitfire would have to bare its teeth and take on the feared Messerschmitt Bf 109!

NOVEMBER 2019 RELEASE: Junkers Ju87B-2, J9+BL, Luftwaffe 9./StG.1, St. Pol, France, November 1940, 1:72nd. Scale. Describing the Junkers Ju87 Stuka as one of the most famous aircraft of WWII would certainly be accurate, although it could be argued that the word infamous would be more appropriate - the Stuka was without doubt, one of the most terrifying weapons from the early years of the Second World War. Taking a huge toll on Allied shipping, armoured vehicles and general military and civilian infrastructure, the Stuka was a close air support and strike attack aircraft, capable of providing precision bombing support to advancing Wehrmacht ground units. Destroying strategically important targets before they could become a problem, these aircraft were feared more than any other weapon during the opening months of the Second World War, with the sight (and sound) of approaching Stukas usually signifying that devastation was heading your way. During the Battle of Britain, the RAF exposed the deficiencies of the Stuka in combat and they took a heavy toll of these much vaunted dive bombers. Losses became so severe that Stuka operations over England were restricted to night raids against coastal targets in the South East during the winter of 1940, with these aircraft being specially prepared for nocturnal operations. With the light blue under-surfaces completely overpainted with a black wash, all national insignia and most unit markings were also blacked out, in an attempt to make the aircraft less vulnerable to night detection by Britain’s defences.

OCTOBER 2019 RELEASE: Westland Lysander Mk.IIIA(SD) V9822, RAF No.161 Squadron, Special Operations, 1:72nd. Scale. With its famed short field landing and take-off performance, the distinctive Westland Lysander was in widespread service at the beginning of the Second World War, performing such duties as Army cooperation, artillery spotting, reconnaissance and light bombing missions. The Battle of France was disastrous for Lysander units, proving the vulnerability of the aircraft and its inability to defend itself against fighter attack, however, despite this, large numbers of Lysanders would have been sent against landing German forces, had their planned invasion of Britain took place the following year. Significantly, the performance of the Lysander made it the ideal aircraft to undertake clandestine nocturnal operations into enemy occupied France and a number of aircraft were specially modified to transport and recover agents and people of interest, working with the Special Operations Executive and the French resistance. Unarmed and using nothing more than maps, compass and the moonlight for navigation, these dangerous missions were flown at low level to avoid detection and landing in fields which were marked by the French resistance. Knowing that the Germans would show them no mercy if they were captured during one of these missions, they helped to provide essential intelligence to Allied military planners in advance of the D-Day landings and required levels of flying skill, bravery and tenacity which were only found in a small number of special airmen.

OCTOBER 2019 RELEASE: Sdkfz 7 Artillery Tractor Tunisia 1943, 1:50th. Scale. This heavy half-track was one of the powerful vehicles which pulled Germany’s supplies and artillery around the battlefields of the Second World War and was used throughout the war, on all fronts where German troops were engaged. The vehicle is perhaps best known as the tractor unit for the fearsome 88mm anti-tank/anti-aircraft gun, although it also served in a number of other essential roles, such as tank recovery. Providing a mobile solution to anti-aircraft defence, the Krauss-Maffei could also be equipped with a quad 2cm Flakvierling 38L artillery piece, mounted on the modified load platform of the vehicle.

MAY 2019 RELEASE: Bedford QL Military, 1:50th. Scale. With well over 50,000 units produced, the Bedford QL series of 3 ton 4x4 utility trucks were some of the most heavily produced British vehicles of the Second World War and were required to fulfil a wide variety of essential communications and supply roles. The ability to move, supply and equip military forces is critical to the success of any campaign and by their nature, vehicles used to support this must be reliable, flexible and available in great numbers. The Bedford QL satisfied all of these needs and whether it was pulling a Bofors anti- aircraft gun or serving as a signals vehicle, it proved to be the backbone of the British Army.

MAY 2019 RELEASE: M3 A1 Half-Track 41st Armoured Infantry, 2nd Armoured Division, Normandy 1944 (D Day), 1:50th. Scale. Manufactured by the White Motor Company of Cleveland, Ohio, the M3 Half Track was a robust armoured personnel carrier which saw extensive service during the Second World War and into the post war years. US military planners knew that it was critical for infantry units to support their advancing tanks, both the protect them from enemy infantry attack and to secure any territorial gains made. Introduced in 1941, the reliable M3 could carry 12 fully equipped troops at speeds approaching 45mph, whilst providing protection from small arms fire. It was said that wherever American troops went, so did their trusty M3 Half Tracks.

DECEMBER 2019 RELEASE: Sherman M4 A3 US Army, Luxembourg 1944, 1:50th. Scale. One of the most famous military vehicles of the Second World War, the M4 Sherman was an American built medium tank used by many of the Western Allies and produced in huge quantities. With the prototype M4 only being available in September 1941, it is incredible to think that these tanks would flood the battlefields of Western Europe, North Africa and the Pacific in the months to come, with almost 50,000 examples being built by the end of July 1945. The Sherman was first used in combat by the British Army at the Second Battle of El Alamein, where it would face German armour for the very first time. One interesting feature of the Sherman’s design was that each tank manufactured in the US would have to be shipped around the world and therefore included four lifting rings, one at each corner of the tank. This also had an impact on the tanks weight, as dockside cranes around the world would have to be strong enough to lift them. Large numbers of Sherman Tanks would be used during the invasion of Normandy and in the months following the breakout from the D-Day beachheads, including a small number of tanks specially modified to be amphibious.

OCTOBER 2019 RELEASE: Churchill MkIII 6th Scots Guards Brigade 1943, 1:50th. Scale. The British Churchill infantry tank may have been slightly cumbersome in appearance but was certainly one of the best Allied tanks of WWII. Championed by Winston Churchill, who insisted on the production of a new infantry support tank capable of crossing shell holes and trenches on the battlefield, the Churchill proved to be reliable and resilient, with thick frontal armour which made it impervious to all but the most powerful German guns. First used during the disastrous Dieppe Raid of 1942, the Churchill would go on to see action in North Africa, Italy and the Far East, before playing a significant role in the Normandy Invasion. A rugged and flexible design, the Churchill was used as the basis for some specialist vehicles to overcome the strong German fortifications of the Atlantic Wall, such as the AVRE (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers), a tank featuring a 290mm mortar, which fired a short range charge designed to obliterate concrete bunkers. In addition to this, the Churchill Crocodile was a heavy mobile flame thrower, which was probably feared more than any other Allied vehicle by defending German troops.

DECEMBER 2019 RELEASE: Panther 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards "" Cuckoo "", Netherlands 1944/5, 1:50th. Scale. Widely regarded as the finest German tank of the Second World War, the PzKpfw V Panther was a formidable combination of speed, manoeuvrability, armour protection and firepower, making this a feared battlefield adversary. Built in response to combat experiences on the Eastern Front and the impressive performance of the latest Soviet tanks, Russia would also see the combat introduction of the new Panther, during the battle of Kursk in the summer 1943. Although classed by the German’s as a medium tank, the Panther weighed in at an impressive 45 tons, but proved to be significantly more mobile than its size suggests and after overcoming initial service introduction issues, the Panther began to show its destructive potential. One criticism of the larger German tank designs was that they tended to be over-engineered and whilst they were undoubtedly impressive fighting machines, there simply were not enough of them with front line units. By the time of D-Day, the Panther was fighting a losing battle and if superior numbers of Allied tanks didn’t get them, rocket firing Hawker Typhoons undoubtedly would.

DECEMBER 2019 RELEASE: Tiger I – German Army SpzAbt 502, Russia 1942, 1:50th. Scale. Even though the Panzerkamfwagen VI Tiger heavy tank was only used in relatively small numbers during WWII, its fearsome reputation and sinister appearance ensured it is regarded as the most famous tank of the Second World War. Another tank developed as a result of Wehrmacht experiences on the Eastern Front, the Tiger may not have shared the cultured appearance of the Panther, but this was a war machine pure and simple and one which was devastatingly effective on the battlefield. Heavily armoured and equipped with the powerful 88mm gun, the sighting optics on the Tiger were so effective that enemy tanks could be destroyed at great distances and well before they were in range to return fire. By the time of the D-Day landings, the reputation of the Tiger was already assured, but even though they managed to inflict heavy losses on Allied armoured units, their small numbers were swamped by an overwhelming tide of Allied armoured numerical superiority. Unable to control the battlefield, damaged and unserviceable Tigers were simply abandoned to be captured by advancing Allied troops.

OCTOBER 2019 RELEASE: Cromwell IV 2nd Armoured Welsh Guards, 1944, 1:50th. Scale. A late war British tank design, the Cromwell came at the end of a line of successful cruiser tanks built for speed and mobility. The Cromwell had an unusually long development period for a wartime tank and even though the project began in 1942, the first machines did not enter combat until the D-Day landings. Although the Cromwell was no match for the firepower of the German Tigers and Panthers, it was designed to support rapidly advancing infantry units, allowing them to make strategic gains through the speed of their advance. An extremely fast tank, the Cromwell could reach speeds of 40mph, although this would not have been a pleasant experience for its five man crew, so it was usually limited to speeds no greater than 32mph. Powered by the excellent 600 hp Rolls Royce Meteor engine, this was actually a development of the famous Merlin engine which powered the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the Battle of Britain. Around 4,000 of these tanks were built and they saw heavy use during the battles following the D-Day landings.